CBS’s 60 Minutes sparks right-wing backlash over brutal takedown of Trump’s cabinet picks

CBS's 60 Minutes has sparked a right-wing backlash over its brutal takedown of Donald Trump's cabinet picks.

Host Scott Pelley began Sunday's show with a monologue dissecting Trump's choices for his future administration, detailing one-by-one how the likes of Pete Hegseth , Matt Gaetz , Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr have "no compelling qualifications" and "no government experience" to take up the jobs they've been nominated for.

"Some nominees appear to have no compelling qualifications other than loyalty to Trump," Pelley said.

Pointing to Hegseth, Pelley said the former Army veteran and Fox News contributor tapped to become the US defense secretary in charge of the Pentagon has "no government experience."

Pelley then turned his attention to former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, nominee for attorney general, who was at the center of a Justice Department sex trafficking investigation and House Ethics Committee probe. Gaetz has never been criminally charged and denies all the allegations.

"Gaetz has been investigated by Republicans for alleged drug use and sex with a minor," the host continued, before describing Tulsi Gabbard, who was nominated as director of national intelligence, as someone accused of having "sought a pardon on Edward Snowden, who leaked US secrets and now lives in Russia."

On vocal anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist RFK Jr, Pelley said Trump had chosen a "a skeptic of vaccinations" to lead America's largest public health body.

Pelley's comments caused quite a stir on social media.

Many anti-Trump accounts shared the clip of his comments in agreement with his assessment while many Trumpworld figures hit out at the host and 60 Minutes, calling it "propaganda."

Trump's incoming White House Communications Director Steven Cheung took to X to claim that Pelley's segment was riddled with "disgusting bias".

"This is exactly why we rebuffed for an interview during the campaign," the former Trump campaign spokesperson said, referring to Trump's refusal to take part in a sit-down interview with Pelley in early October.

He continued: "Their disgusting bias & unhinged 'reporting' are out of touch with everyday Americans who voted for President Trump. 60 Minutes is an out-dated relic of the past. CANCEL!"

Elon Musk , Trump megadonor and head of the newly-founded Department of Government Efficiency, also chimed in: "No Republican should ever do an interview with CBS News again, 60 Minutes, who edited the interview with Kamala [Harris] to try to make her look better, hates Trump.

"And they aren't hiding it in this leftist, trash propaganda piece."

While Charlie Kirk, a MAGA firebrand and founder of Turning Point USA, also posted: "Is this parody?!"

Trump has worked quickly to fill key posts in his second administration after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the election.

Many of his picks have raised eyebrows among both Democrats and Republicans, with some likely to face an uphill battle for confirmation by the Senate.